Finland has one of the highest homicide rates in Western Europe, and
almost every tenth homicide is caused by asphyxiation. Reliable
statistics, a strict legislation, and an exceptionally high medico‐legal
autopsy rate formed a base for a nationwide analysis of asphyxia
homicides (n = 383) during 30 years. The cases were identified
through multiple records, and all the forensic pathology case files were
studied in detail. In more than one out of five cases, there were
indications of staging, and the homicide was revealed first at autopsy
in close to one in ten cases. The vast majority of the homicides took
place in private locations and involved persons known to each other.
Every third victim was an intimate partner, and every tenth a child.
Almost half of the victims died from manual strangulation, one in three
from ligature strangulation. Smothering, choking, neck compression with a
firm object, and thoracic compression were more rare methods. Drownings
were excluded from this study material. Of all the victims, 7% had no
observable external injuries. Petechiae were recorded in approximately
in 61%, laryngohyoid fractures in 47%, and vocal cord hemorrhages in 16%
of the cases. Every tenth female victim had genital injuries.
Toxicological analyses were performed in close to all of the cases, and
almost three out of four victims tested positive for blood alcohol. The
various aspects of the demographics and autopsy findings covered in this
study contribute reliable and accurate data to further strengthen the
spectrum of observable medico‐legal characteristics of asphyxia
homicides.